You said, "I have trouble seeing the ball and that is why I move back to give me more time to pick it up and hit a solid well placed shot."
I said, "By moving back you are giving up an advantage that you have over the other team. Actually you give up three advantages... 1) The closer you are to the net the more horizontal angles you have to hit the ball and the more court your opponants have to cover. 2) You also get more vertical angles which results in fewer balls going into the net and fewer shots that you have to hit at your feet. 3) By coming to the net you take time away from your opponant allowing you to exploit when they get out of position.
You told me that you had trouble seeing the ball. That got me thinking.
Is the sun a factor? Do you have a visual problem? Is it a problem with concentration and anticipation?
When I was nine and my brother was six my Dad would take us to the ball field and hit us grounders with a hardball. Catching grounders comming off the uneven surface of the playing field makes hittiing volleys with a tennis ball a piece of cake. When we missed it was not unusual to get hit in the face with the hardball. If I threw the ball softly back to my Dad ("Like a girl,") he would grab the ball and throw it back to me as hard as he could. I have a dead upper incisor tooth which which I attribute to a blow from one of Dad's throws or grounders.
Why do I tell you this? If you wear protective eye gear your physical risk on the tennis court is minimal. Some of the best tennis instructors start instruction on volleying by having the players catch a tennis ball bare handed. Whether with a hand, a mitt or a racket the hand-eye connection lines up the the balls trajectory and makes the catch/volley. (Fast balls hit at you need to be caught/vollied with a backhand.) Assume that every shot is going to be hit at you. Be still when your opponant hits the ball. Study his delivery like an on deck batter observes a pitcher on the mound. Never allow your heals to hit the ground. Keep the two butts down... The racket handle and your ass. Line the ball up with your racket and use your lower body to improve your position and give some momentum to your shot without sacrificing the lock that you have on the ball... don't wave the racket but volley with your feet!
By playing against different players you get to decode their deliveries and learn to anticipate the hard balls they will give you at the net. Playing the same people over and over again is like a batter hitting the same two or three pitchers. League play will improve your game. You want to play different players. You learn to react to their strengths and from their mistakes as well. Last year you did get to play a few matches with John and Gary which is more than you will get by not being on the team this year.
I really like playing tennis with you, Mike and I was not bullshitting when I told you that banging the hell out of the ball with you on Wednesdays is my favorite tennis. You are the only one I know who could hang in there with me in the heat. You are getting better and since tennis is a big part of your life it only makes sense to take positive/objective steps that will make your game better.
I hope that I don't sound like a pretentious asshole with this note. Feel free to tell me if I do.
Your friend,
Stuart
Stuart
